CVE-2024-11218

Buildah allows build breakout using malicious Containerfiles and concurrent builds

Workarounds

Mandatory access controls should limit the access of the process performing the build, on systems where they are enabled.

With careful use of the --mount flag in RUN instructions in Containerfiles, and by using either multi-stage builds with use of concurrently-executing build stages (e.g., using the --jobs CLI flag) or multiple separate but concurrently-executing builds, a malicious Containerfile can be used to expose content from the build host to the command being run using the RUN instruction. This can be used to read or write contents using the privileges of the process which is performing the build. When that process is a root-owned podman system service which is provided for use by unprivileged users, this includes the ability to read and write contents which the client should not be allowed to read and write, including setuid executables in locations where they can be later accessed by unprivileged users.

The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.

CVE-2024-11218 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.38.1, 1.37.6, 1.35.5, 1.33.12); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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Patches have been merged to the main branch, and will be added to upcoming releases on the release-1.38, release-1.37, release-1.35, and release-1.33 branches.

This addressed a number of Jira cards, but primarily https://issues.redhat.com/browse/RHEL-67616 and https://issues.redhat.com/browse/RHEL-67618, which were then vendored into Podman and backported into olde rbranches.

1. What is CVE-2024-11218? CVE-2024-11218 is a high-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in github.com/containers/buildah (go), affecting versions >= 1.38.0, < 1.38.1. It is fixed in 1.38.1, 1.37.6, 1.35.5, 1.33.12. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-11218? CVE-2024-11218 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of github.com/containers/buildah are affected by CVE-2024-11218? github.com/containers/buildah (go) versions >= 1.38.0, < 1.38.1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-11218? Yes. CVE-2024-11218 is fixed in 1.38.1, 1.37.6, 1.35.5, 1.33.12. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-11218 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-11218 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-11218 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2024-11218?
   • Upgrade github.com/containers/buildah to 1.38.1 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/containers/buildah to 1.37.6 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/containers/buildah to 1.35.5 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/containers/buildah to 1.33.12 or later

Other vulnerabilities in github.com/containers/buildah